GB: TeamWork
by WayWardWonderer
Summary: After one of the team members becomes injured during a call to an infamously haunted mansion the other three have to get creative and remember to trust one another in order to rescue their downed, hurt colleague while battling a powerful ghost in the process. Egon, Peter, Ray and Winston at their best.


"Ecto-1" screeched to a jarring halt outside the infamous Morris-Jumel Mansion of Washington Heights. The reports of multiple ghosts sightings in a very small period of time had prompted an investigation by the now famous and resourceful Ghostbusters; New York's most prominent paranormal researchers, investigators and scientists.

Dr. Ray Stantz stepped out of the driver's side while Dr. Peter Venkman stepped outside the passenger side. Dr. Egon Spengler and Winston Zeddermore climbed outside the unusual yet iconic vehicle, following their colleagues and standing together just outside the front steps of the ancient, dark and gloomy manor.

Instinctively placing a cigarette between his lips Ray flicked on his lighter and brought it toward his face.

Egon quickly took notice. "Thought you were going to quit?" His voice was even and emotionless.

"Huh?" Ray lowered the lighter and looked to his colleague. After seeing Egon nod toward the light Ray realized his mistake and pocketed the light. "Oh, right. Force of habit." He dropped the cigarette on the ground and used his heel to smash it. "Thanks."

Winston put his hand on Ray's shoulder sympathetically as he too was trying to quite smoking. "Stay strong man. It's not easy to quit. I'll get the packs."

"'Quitter'!" Peter teased his colleagues dryly. "So Egon, what's the deal with this place? Ghosts, ghouls or goblins?"

"A lot of tragedy and important history unfolded on this property." Egon began his explanation as he helped Ray slip a proton pack on over his shoulders. "It was built in 1765 by Roger Morris, a colonel in the British army."

"Go on." Peter insisted as he too slipped on a proton pack with the help of Winston.

"It was here that George Washington retreated after the loss of 'The Battle of Brooklyn', and it was used as military headquarters for both sides during the Revolution."

"Okay, so it's a battleground." Peter replied as he then helped Winston with his own proton pack. "Why are we here? Doesn't sound spooky or ethereal."

"I was getting to that Peter." Egon paused as the weight of the final proton pack being slipped onto his shoulders momentarily set him off balance. "Back in 1810," he continued after adjusting the straps of the pack to fit more comfortably over his shoulders. "this mansion was purchased by Stephen Jumel and his wife Eliza. After Mr. Jumel's suspicious and unexpected death his widow remarried in 1832 to a noted historical figure Aaron Burr."

"Aaron Burr?" Peter questioned flatly. "Not ringing any bells there Egon."

Ray excitedly chimed in as he recognized the name and now had an idea of why they were hired to investigate. "Aaron Burr! Wow! He was Vice President to Thomas Jefferson! He also won a duel against Alexander Hamilton which infuriated the public. Burr blamed Hamilton for unsuccessful campaign for governor of New York."

"I guess Burr came out the better man in the end." Peter retorted with an unimpressed sigh.

"No!" Ray playfully smacked Peter's shoulder as he finished is history lesson. "Just three years later Burr was charged with conspiracy which killed his political career. His only option was to return to law practice, which let's be honest must've been a huge blow to his ego. He struggled to rebuild his life; he was nearly broke and went through an embarrassing divorce with Eliza before suffering many strokes and dying in 1836."

Egon brought the explanation full circle for his colleagues as they prepared to enter the mansion. "A property full of negative energy, infamy, failure and death is the perfect breeding ground for paranormal activity. In fact, since the 1960's, reports of Eliza's spirit has been reported by multiple eye witness, there's supposedly a Hessian spirit who inhabits the paintings and a strange grandfather clock."

"A clock? Let me guess, it's stuck on midnight!" Peter joked again.

"No. _This_ clock apparently can talk and has its own _human face_." Egon elaborated with a somewhat sinister smirk on his face.

"A talking... clock. With a human face?" Peter repeated incredulously. "Let's just hope he speaks English, my Latin is a little rusty."

The four men looked up at the macabre mansion with a sense of wonder and curiosity. The windows were all dark, no one was inside. The building itself wasn't abandoned by any means and yet it felt as though the entire hadn't seen any life in decades. Centuries of had passed by leaving their mark on the structural integrity of the building making it very dangerous inside.

Winston noted the construction equipment and vehicles parked out behind the mansion. "Hey fellas, you think the renovations inside the mansion is what stirred up all the recent ghost sightings?"

Ray nodded as he contemplated the idea. "It's entirely possible that a physical disturbance of the property and removal of historical artifacts could elicit a paranormal response from the sudden change in the environmental stability."

"Negative energy could be flowing from the mansion itself." Egon agreed as he slipped his PKE meter from his belt and held it out at arm's to scan the building. "I'm getting fluctuations in energy levels ranging from normal to extreme."

Ray slipped on his spectral goggles as he lead the way up the steps and to the front entrance. "Let's go."

"You hear energy fluctuations to the extreme and your first response is to go inside?" Peter mocked as he slowly followed behind Ray, Egon and Winston. "Great! What could _possibly_ go wrong?"

His sarcasm went without acknowledgement by his colleagues.

The front door creaked open under Ray's hand. "Unlocked."

"Good." Peter pushed the door open fully as he marched inside the mansion. "Makes it easier for us to run outside as soon as a pissy Hessian or spooky clock comes after us."

The floorboards groaned and creaked as the four men walked across the floor of the foyer. The weight of their proton packs were only taxing the structural integrity of the floorboards further.

"Careful." Ray warned as he heard and felt the boards protesting their arrival. "We don't know how well this building has been maintained over the past two hundred years."

The interior of the foyer had furniture concealed beneath white sheets to keep dust and debris from causing damage. The sheets created eerily shaped objects that lined the walls. Old paintings and mirrors still hung from the walls, but they too were covered in sheets.

Winston found a light switch on the wall and flicked up and down a few times to no avail. "No power. Hunting in the dark, just great."

"Aw come on Winston." Peter continued to toy with his colleagues, as is his nature. "You never played flashlight tag as a kid? Talk about a sad childhood."

"Don't move." Egon's PKE meter began squealing to life with a sudden surge of unseen energy. "There's strong psychokinetic activity in this general vicinity. We're close."

"Close to what, exactly?" Peter's less than enthusiastic tone was almost as bleak as the mansion.

"I don't know. But whatever it is it's big."

"How big?"

"Imagine every object in this building suddenly acquiring the atomic mass of Ununoctium within a matter of seconds and then imagine us being caught under said weight."

"So... Big." Peter was made painfully aware of the significance of the situation.

Egon only nodded as he arched his eyebrows at Peter coyly.

"Think we'll be able to trap it? I mean these things have to have a weight limit, like an elevator or Playboy."

Ray shrugged his shoulders nonchalantly. "Seeing as every spook, specter and ghost we've ever captured has been nothing but energy I can't imagine the trap having so much of a weight limit as it would a _mass_ limit."

"Oh, well, that makes ALL the difference." Peter rolled his eyes.

The PKE meter began reacting to an unknown and unseen presence in a very active manner. The device lit up brighter than before and it began letting out a louder, longer screech.

"Guys?" Egon clipped the PKE meter back to his belt and retrieved the wand of his proton pack, charging the spectacular device to life. "Whatever is coming is already right on top of us."

Winston prepped his own proton pack and looked toward the ceiling with a focused gaze. "Where is it? I don't see anything."

Ray steadily changed the settings on his goggles until he could find the proper wavelength that the paranormal anomaly was using to conceal itself. After half a dozen clicks he caught a glimpse of something hovering in the air above Egon, sticking close to the ceiling. "There! It's right there!" Ray pointed and charged his proton pack. "Follow my lead!"

With a burst of energy the proton stream erupted from the wand and wrapped around the invisible specter floating near the ceiling.

"You got it Ray!" Egon planted his feet aimed his proton stream upward and assisted Ray in holding the ghost in place.

Despite the loud ambience that always accompanied the proton streams Winston could hear the floorboards begin to groan from the added strain of attempting to wrangle the ghost. A loud 'snap' drew his attention to the floor right under Egon's feet.

"Egon, get back! The floor's going to give!" Winston reached a hand out to grab Egon by the shoulder in attempt to pull him back but the ghost let out a loud roar and pulse of energy that pushed him and Peter away from where Egon and Ray were standing.

"Whoa!" Winston and Peter both flew backward with an impressive speed and strength and slammed hard against the far wall.

"Guys!" Ray turned to look at his suddenly downed colleagues and turned off his proton pack. "Are you okay?"

"Ray!" Egon was now struggling to keep the ghost contained by himself. "I need some help here!"

The floorboards beneath Egon's feet snapped again and gave way. Egon's right leg fell through the newly formed opening in the very old floorboard and began caught between to boards.

"Egon!" Peter saw the tall scientist fall to the floor.

Winston struggled to get to his feet after getting viciously slammed against the wall. "Get back! The whole floor's going to go!"

Ray attempted to fire his proton stream at the ghost once more but a malfunction kept the device from charging up. "No! Not now!" He slammed his fist against the wand in a futile attempt to get it fire. "Egon! My pack's down!"

"Egon!" Peter called out again but couldn't do anything to help his colleague and friend.

The ghost above let out another strong pulse of ethereal energy as it desperately resisted the nuclear energy that threatened to ensnare it. The pulse was enough to cause the already damaged floorboards to bend and warp as the aged, dried wooden planks lost all remaining structural integrity. With on final loud 'snap' that echoed violently throughout the foyer as Egon fell through the floor and disappeared from sight.

"EGON!" The three men called out in chorus as their fourth colleague vanished in a cascade of falling boards and dirt.

As Egon fell his proton stream powered off and ghost was finally freed from the energy. Angered by its attempted capture it unleashed another roar and energy pulse that began to destroy the remaining floorboards in a wave of snapping wood.

"Get back!" Winston yelled out over the crashing boards and snarling ghost above. Grabbing onto Peter and Ray's arms he dragged his remaining colleagues away from the collapsing floor and toward the still opened doorway. "Come on! Move it!"

Peter clumsily got to his feet in time to fall through the doorway while Ray nearly tripped over him. Winston backed through the door and watched as the still unseen ghost disappeared through the ceiling leaving a stain of dripping ectoplasm behind.

Ray stood on the front steps of the manor shaking and in stunned silence. He slipped his goggles up from his eyes and let it rest against the top of his hairline.

Slowly Peter got back to his feet, his eyes wide and his mouth shut.

Winston carefully edged his way back through the doorway and peered into the massive gaping hole that was once the first floor. Through the many broken boards and darkness Winston could make out the flickering lights of the damaged proton pack that was on Egon's back. Just beneath the glow he could see the still form of Egon laying on his side beneath several jagged boards.

"Hey guys, I can see him!" Winston shouted to other men standing outside. "I can see Egon!"

"Egon?" Ray asked quietly as reality began filtering back in for him. "Where-"

"Where is he?!" Peter demanded as he grabbed onto the door frame and stared down into the hole. As soon as he saw the faint outline of his friend at the bottom of the hole all of his worry boiled to the surface. "Egon? Egon!"

Ray clambered through the doorway between Winston and Peter. "Where is he? If he hurt? Can he hear us? Egon! Are you okay?"

Peter offered up his own unwarranted opinion. "I'm sure he's fine, the ground broke his fall."

Winston put his arm out in front of Peter and Ray to keep them from leaning too far through the doorway. "Easy, the floor is already gone. I don't need to pull you out, too."

"Wait, what?" Ray was a little confused by Winston's statement. "What do you mean pull us out too?"

Winston returned to Ecto-1 and opened the back of the hearse to gather some more equipment. "I mean I'm going to get Egon out of there and then we're going to take him to the hospital." He pulled out the small pack that contained rappelling gear. "Help me get this proton pack off, I don't need any unnecessary weight slowing me down."

Ray and Peter didn't move from where they stood on the steps. It wasn't often that Winston gave orders to either of them, and they rarely acted without Egon's affirmative.

"Guys, move it!" Winston called out again as he put the rappelling support harness around his waist. "We don't have time to waste. _Egon_ doesn't have time to waste."

With those words both Ray and Peter found the motivation to run over and assist Winston. While Peter removed the proton pack and placed in its proper compartment in the back of Ecto-1, Ray helped secure the harness, test the rope and re-secure the harness just for good measure.

"What's the plan Winston?" Peter asked as he became serious and professional. "What do we do?"

"You two keep the rope steady. Tie one end to the car," he instructed as he returned to the mansion. And when I give the word pull us up."

Ray was a little surprised by Winston's decisions but didn't dare question his intentions. "You think you can get him out of there by yourself?"

"Sure, no problem. Just like basic training all over again." He stood on the edge of the hole and watched as Peter took the rope, awkwardly climbed down up the car and carefully tied it around the front axle of the car. "Everything ready Venkman?"

Peter tugged on the knotted rope before flashing a thumbs up. "Yeah, it's go time baby!"

"Alright, Ray keep the rope as stable as possible. If the rope gets caught on a jagged piece of board it could shear through the fibers." Winston pulled the rope tight and kneeled down on the edge of the hole. The flickering of Egon's proton pack began to dwindle as the lights on the sides of the pack became buried under a steadily thickening layer of dirt. "Okay, I'm going down."

As Winston lowered himself down into the hole Ray was joined by Peter at the doorway. The two men watched as Winston expertly descended the rope and reached the bottom of the hole, which was in face the ancient cellar of the mansion.

"What do you think Ray?"

"What do you mean what do I think? What am I thinking about?"

"I mean why would that ghost do so much damage, taking one of us out nonetheless, then simply disappear?" He motioned to the still dripping ectoplasm that stained the ceiling. "I don't like it."

"You're right." Ray tried to turn on his proton pack again. "We need to keep a lookout. My pack's out of commission, you'll need to hold it so it doesn't go after Winston or Egon."

"Me? Hold it? You saw what it did to Egon, there's no way I'm letting that thing send me through the ground! I'm not going to burn in Hell just yet!"

"We don't have a choice. Look, keep an eye out for the ghost I'm going to get a trap."

"Fine, fine! Just... hurry back!"

"Will do."

Winston had since reached the bottom of the hole but hadn't set his feet down just yet. It was to difficult to see which boards were laying across Egon and which boards were keeping others from falling and burying him completely. Using his hand to slide the boards away from where he wanted to stand Winston uncovered the floor of the cellar and set himself down.

"Alright, I'm good." Winston announced as he untied the rope from his harness. "I'm going to check on Egon."

"I'm back!" Ray put his hand on Peter's shoulder causing his colleague to jump in response. "Sorry, but I have the trap."

"Great, now answer me this Ray: if this ghost _does_ reappear and _if_ do I somehow manage to get a hold of it by myself; where, _oh where_ , will you put that trap so we can actually contain it?"

"Uh..."

"Yeah, that's what I thought." Peter never took his eyes from the ceiling as he spoke. On full alert he scanned the ceiling for any sign of activity but was still thinking about Egon and Winston. "How's it going down there Winston?"

"I'm almost to him. It's hard to move around without causing a second collapse."

Ray shook his head. "Boy, we need to move it! Wish I had the PKE meter, it'd be really handy right about now."

"So would a crane. A ladder. Or a helicopter." Peter tagged on stubbornly.

"Sh!" Ray shushed Peter as he slipped his goggles back down over his eyes. "It's close, I heard something moving around in the ceiling."

"Better hurry up Winston!" Peter encouraged. "Time waits for no one!"

Winston ignored Peter in favor of Egon. "Egon? Hey man, you hear me?" Moving aside a few more boards Winston was able to see Egon's face and saw that there was a trickle of blood running down the side of the unconscious man's face. His glasses had been broken in the fall and were now resting just a few inches in a pile of glass and wire from Egon's face. "Aw man, don't worry. I'll get you out of here."

Pressing his fingers to Egon's neck Winston found a pulse and silently thanked whichever peaceful deity was watching over them. Putting his hand on Egon's chest he could feel a few ribs shift from being broken but other than that unfortunate sign the downed man was still breathing as well. "Good, you're still with us."

Running his hand down the back of Egon's skull and then neck Winston made sure that he hadn't broken anything during or after the fall. Next he ran his hands down Egon's spine to check for any sign of injury or fractured vertebrae. By some seeming miracle Egon hadn't damaged his neck or his back despite at all outward appearances.

"You're one lucky bastard, Egon!" Winston admitted as he next checked the downed scientist's arms and legs for other breaks and cuts. Egon's left arm had been broken in the fall, mainly because of the wand of the proton pack crushing down on the appendage. His legs weren't broken but his left knee was already swollen and could be felt even through the dense fabric of his jumpsuit. "Bad ribs, bad arm and bum knee. Pretty good for your first on-the-job injury."

"Winston?" Ray called down anxiously. "How's it looking?"

"He's alive!" Winston replied with a twinge of optimism in his voice. "But he's banged up pretty bad!"

"Can you move him?"

"Yeah, if I'm very, VERY careful!"

"Do it! We don't know how long before the ghost returns or the rest of the building comes down on us!"

"You don't have to tell me twice!" Winston muttered to himself as he continued his assessment of Egon. "Okay, this is going to hurt but I need to roll you onto your back. Sorry pal."

Winston loosened the straps of the proton pack before slipping the heavy device from Egon's shoulders and back. The pack was sturdy and undamaged in the fall but it was still far too heavy to be carried up with Egon all the same. Keeping one hand on the back of Egon's neck for support as he used his other hand to roll his body over onto his back.

Egon let out a low groan of pain in response to being moved.

"I said 'sorry'!" Winston repeated. "But it is nice to hear from you again."

A layer of blood stained the now exposed side of Egon's face. A long cut below his eye was the culprit while a short cut across the bridge of his nose dripped down the other side.

Several cuts into the jumpsuit material were surrounded with dark red from the bleeding wounds beneath. Red stains ran up his entire left side while only speckling the right side.

Unzipping the top of Egon's jumpsuit down to his rib cage Winston was able to gently tucked Egon's broken arm into the opened jumpsuit to help hold the damaged limb steady. Folding Egon's second arm across his chest Winston kneeled beside his downed colleague and looked back up through the hole to see the nervous goggled face of Ray looking down at them, and Peter on high alert watching the ceiling.

"I'm going to need something to keep him steady, and I'm pretty sure there isn't a backboard in the car! Find something that I can use!"

"I'm on it!" Ray replied as he shot to his feet and ran outside and back to the car to improvise some kind of backboard.

"Ray?" Peter hated being suddenly alone. "The trap? Ray?" He turned to look over his shoulder but Ray was already gone and he had taken the trap with him. From above the ceiling began dripping fresh ectoplasm at an alarming rate. "This is fine. Yup, all good..."

Winston could see the ectoplasm pooling on the ceiling and felt it beginning to drip down onto him in thick, slimy drops. "Aw man, yuck!" He leaned a little further over Egon to keep the ectoplasm from dripping onto his wounds. "You owe me. I hate getting slimed."

The ectoplasm puddle began to widen and drip further as a strange, low, menacing laugh began to taunt the Ghostbusters through the ceiling. The laugh grew louder, deeper and more violent as the puddle widened and spread across the surface of the ceiling like ink on paper.

"Ray...?" Peter asked nervously. "Come over here. Ray."

"I think this will work!" Ray responded as he dashed through the doorway while poorly carrying a large piece of drywall. "I found it out back with the construction equipment!"

"The ghost is here. Ray." Peter ignored the gathered drywall and kept his eyes glued on the ceiling. "We need the trap. RAY."

"The trap?" He asked a little confused before suddenly remembering that the ghost was still on loose. "Oh, that's right! I, uh... left it outside."

"Then go get it..." Peter suggested firmly while watching the puddle drip and listening to the ghost's taunting laugh. "NOW. Ray."

"Yeah, I'll go get the trap! Winston?" Ray called down into the hole while awkwardly hefting the drywall downward. "Try using this! I'll get some more rope!"

Peter grabbed Ray's arm before he managed to get fully out the door again. "The trap Ray. Get the trap FIRST."

"Yeah, yeah, good idea." Ray nodded and moved quickly. "Trap first. Rope second."

"Oh boy." Peter shook his head. "Of all the times for Egon to get his big beautiful brain busted..." The laugh grew even louder still as semi translucent figure slowly emerged through the center of the puddle and hung in place like a hanging bat. "Oh darn. Winston? How's it going?"

"Uh, it's going." Winston responded through a calm and steady tone. "Going _slow_..." He muttered to himself as he tended to Ego. "I should be able to get him out of here pretty soon, keep me covered!"

Using the large piece of drywall as a makeshift backboard Winston set it flat on the ground near the rope that he had used to lower himself down. He'd need to use additional rope to keep the drywall steady as it was lifted up and out of the hole, but until Ray returned with the rope all he could do we keep an eye on Egon.

"Here's the trap!" Ray announced as he swung the rectangular contraption over his shoulder and handed it by the long cable to Peter. "And here's the rope!" Uncoiling the additional rope from around his neck he dropped one end the material down into the hole and into Winston's awaiting hands.

Gathering up the rope Winston loop the rope under the two ends and under the middle of the drywall and tossed the slack up to Ray. "Hey Ray! Catch!"

"Got it!" Ray clumsily gathered the loose tether into his arms. "Uh, now what?"

"Wind it around the front axle of the car, we'll use it as a levy to lift Egon out of the hole."

"Right! I knew that!" He forced a feigned confidence in his voice. Looking over at Peter Ray could tell by the look on his face that no one believed him. "I knew that." He repeated. "I swear!"

The ghost lowered further down through the ceiling. Its semi translucent body was massive and created a gnarly looking shadow on the far wall. From its face two bright red eyes began to glow. It was looking right at Peter.

"Ray move. _Now_."

"I'm going, I'm going!"

Winston carefully put his hands under Egon's shoulders, mindful of the broken ribs and arm, and slipped his arms around Egon's upper chest for leverage. Slowly Winston dragged him across the floor toward the drywall. Pushing the broken boards aside with his foot Winston was able to pull the lanky and unconscious scientist over without making too much noise or attracting the looming ghost in the process.

"Okay, let's get you out of here." Winston spoke quietly to Egon, but it was really his way of keeping his mind focused and not letting any nervousness or anxiety set in. "This won't be pleasant or easy, but nothing about this job ever is."

Pulling Egon onto the drywall Winston set him down at a steady pace to ensure that Egon didn't strike his head or jostle his neck on the way down. After lifting Egon's legs over and onto the drywall Winston did his best to keep Egon's spine and neck as straight as possible.

"Okay Ray, pull up the slack. We need to keep the ropes even."

"You got it!"

Almost as if it was waiting for the right moment the ghost suddenly emerged from the ceiling and swooped down toward Peter, laughing the during its entire flight.

Peter screamed, ducked and turned on his proton pack all at the same time.

"Watch it!" Ray complained as he fell to the ground on his side. "We need to stop that thing before it causes anymore damage!"

Peter stood up straight and aimed at the fast and barely visible ghost. Firing the proton stream that lit up the interior of the heavily damaged room in a bright light he could barely catch a glimpse of the incredibly dark and crafty specter as it continued its rampage through the mansion's first floor.

"Ray, get the ropes!" Peter yelled over the chaos. "This bad boy is all mine!"

Without a word Ray went to work on the ropes. Working with meticulous precision Ray pulled up the slack on the ropes and made sure the three lines were all even and level before he did anything else. "You're good!"

"Alright!" Winston slipped the rope he had used to descend into the hole back through his own harness. "I'm going to climb up beside Egon and keep him steady. Don't move him until I say go."

"Okay, I can do that." Ray flinched as the ghost dove down past his head and Peter's proton stream brushed past him at an uncomfortably close range. "I _think_ I can do this..."

Just as the ghost dove past Ray a second time Peter managed to snag the troublesome spirit in his proton stream. "Gotcha'! Thought you could get away from me you annoying little bastard? Think again!"

"Nice work!" Ray applauded Peter's success. "I'll get the trap-"

The ghost began fighting back against the proton stream, just as it had done to Egon. Strong energy pulses and loud snarls accompanied the ghosts every violent struggle.

"Oh no you don't!" Ray wasn't about to let the ghost harm anyone else. "Wait until I-" He tried once more to turn on his proton pack but it was still wasn't operational. "Uh-oh."

From down in the hole Winston could see everything but hardly hear anything. The only words he could make out were Ray's. "I just heard 'uh-oh'. What's wrong now?"

"My pack is still out!" Ray commented as he watched Peter struggling to keep the ghost at bay. "And Peter needs help!"

"Wait a minute..." Winston looked back at the proton pack he had taken from Egon's back. "Hold on Ray, back up is on its way!"

"Back up?" Ray looked around confused. "What back up?"

"This back up!" Winston answered as he lugged the heavy pack over to the edge of the hole. Using his own rope he tied pack to the tether and motioned for Ray to pull.

"Great work!" Ray complimented as he quickly lugged the heavy machinery back out of the hole. Without bothering to try and slip off his own pack he chose to hold Egon's pack with on hand and fire the stream with the other. "I'm with you Venkman!"

The ghost was now caught between two focused proton streams and was unable to resist the powerful energy.

"We need to trap it before it gets a second wind!" Ray shouted over the uproar of the dual packs firing together. "We need to find a place to set the trap down!"

Peter looked around at the damaged floor desperate to find something, anything that could be used to set down the trap. He glances over his shoulder and through the door to the exterior of the mansion. "Outside! We need to get it outside!"

"But if we move it could try to break free again and completely destroy this room in the process!"

"Right..." Peter made a reluctant decision. "Winston, get Egon out of here! We'll stay back and hold this ghost so you can get out of here!"

"What?!" Winston didn't like the idea of leaving the guys behind. "I can't-"

Ray cut him off midsentence. "You have to! You have to help Egon! He can't wait, but we can." Without letting go of the pack in his hand he managed to undo the rope knot around the straps of the pack and kick it back down into the hole to Winston. "Get moving!"

Knowing that Ray and Peter were right, Egon needed help as soon as possible, Winston retied the rope to the harness and began climbing back up and out of the hole. "Ray, can you pull on the ropes at all?"

"I can try, but I'm not sure!" Ray admitted as he kneeled down and tugged on the rope with one hand. "Uh, a little! But I don't think-"

A second hand grabbed onto the rope and began pulling along with Ray. "If it weren't for me you wouldn't get anything done!" Peter quipped as he grabbed onto the rope. "Come on man-baby, pull!"

Winston climbed out of the hole using his rope and harness. While keeping one hand on the rope that supported one end of the drywall Peter and Ray held the second rope at the opposite end. Working together the three men managed to slowly but effectively raise the drywall, and Egon, upward and toward the edge of the hole.

"Okay, that's good!" Winston confirmed as he pulled himself up to the edge of the hole and pulled the drywall up with him. "He's out."

"Now you get out!" Peter ordered as he and Ray stood up. "Go, go, go!"

Wrapping his arms around Egon's upper chest and under his arms Winston was able to half drag, half carry the injured man out of the heavily damaged mansion, down the steps and toward Ecto-1. "He's clear!" Winston yelled over the commotion. "Catch that freak!"

Together Ray and Peter stepped back through the doorway. The ghost was unable to break free of the two proton streams despite its powerful efforts.

Ray looked back toward the car and saw Winston had opened the passenger side door, lowered the seat until it was all the way back and was now lifting Egon up and into the car. "Just go!" He shouted over the sound of the screeching proton streams and shrieking ghost. "We'll catch up!"

"Wait-"

Peter agreed with Ray. "Go! This is going to take a while..."

Winston took one look at Egon in the pale moonlight and knew that they were right. As much as he hated leaving his colleagues and friends behind, he had no choice. "Alright, just... Just be careful!" He replied as he ran around the front of the car and climbed into the driver's seat. "And smack it up good for both of us!"

Backing the Ecto-1 down the driveway of the mansion and back to the street Winston took one last look at his two remaining colleagues as they struggled to lure the ghost outside to trap it. A singular groan of pain from Ego reminded Winston of exactly why he was leaving Peter and Ray behind.

"Hold on Egon, I'll have you at the hospital in no time!"

Speeding away to the nearest hospital Winston turned on the siren and the lights as he drove a little to fast down the no longer quiet street.

Reaching one hand over to Egon's wrist Winston checked the injured man's pulse and sighed. "Good. Stay like this. Stable and _alive_." He encouraged as he found himself just a few blocks away from New York Presbyterian Hospital.

Even though the siren was blaring the entire ride seemed eerily quiet and slow.

Pulling into the emergency drive of the hospital Winston was greeted with curious onlookers who were drawn in by the unusual sight and sound of Ecto-1. A doctor and a few nurses stepped outside the front doors and met Winston as he climbed out of the car.

"I need a gurney here!" He called out as he made his way back to the other side of the car. "White male, late thirties, possible concussion, probable broken ribs on the life and broken arm; also on the left." He calmly listed off Egon's more noticeable and severe injuries to the attending hospital staff. "He's also suffered multiple lacerations and contusions."

One doctor put his fingers to Egon's neck as he motioned for an orderly to wheel a gurney to the car. "How did this happen?"

"Floor collapse. One story." Winston answered still calm and collected. "Happened about twenty minutes ago. His name is Egon. Egon Spengler. _Doctor_ Egon Spengler!"

The orderlies and doctor easily hoisted Egon out of the car and onto the gurney. The doctor began sounding off orders to the attending nurses and interns as the gurney was wheeled into the hospital. It was all a blur to Winston as the excitement of the moment began to full weigh in on him. It seemed like a horrible nightmare having to rescue a friend, let alone rattle off a list on injuries.

"Sir? Sir!" A nurse was trying to get Winston's attention. "You can't leave that car here. Please move it so the ambulances can get through."

"Huh? What?" Winston was a little confused but saw the kind face of the nurse and quickly understood what had pulled him out of his little daze.

"Don't worry sir. Our doctors are the best! We'll take good care of your friend. Just park your car over there," she motioned with her hand as she walked back toward the entrance doors. "I promise!"

"Okay, the rest is up to you Egon." Winston said as he climbed back in the car to move it. "I better call Janine... Let her know what's going on." After moving Ecto-1 and walking into the busy hospital he thought better of it, after all Janine was a women who was as intimidating as she was stubborn. "Or... wait until the other guys get here. Don't want to handle her alone."

Time seemed to slow down. After an hour of reading old, moldy magazines from the seventies Winston was greeted by the commotion of Ray and Peter finally joining him in the waiting room. Many of the other patrons of the hospital were gasping and whispering at the sight of the two men, who were indeed a sight to behold.

Dripping with slime, sweat and dirt Peter stood before Winston and stared at his colleague with a look of seriousness that was normally reserved for the mayor. "So, how's Egon?"

Winston stood up from his seat happy to see his colleague was safe and in one piece. "I don't know." He hadn't seen Egon since he was wheeled away. "They've been with him for," he looked down at his dirty watch and quickly calculated the time in his head. "at least an hour. What took you guys so long?"

Ray, who had followed Peter, was holding the still smoking trap in his hands. "This little bugger put up one hell of a fight."

"You brought that thing inside a _hospital_?!" Winston asked bewildered as he wafted the wisping smoke away from his face.

"See?" Peter interrupted. "Told you hospitals discriminate against the dead."

Ray replied coyly. "Didn't have a choice. We didn't have the car."

Peter butted in again. "The taxi driver didn't notice anything weird. Can't imagine why."

Winston took the keys to the car out of his pocket. "Here. Lock that thing up in the back before you get us kicked out of here."

"Good idea." Ray accepted the keys and quickly made his way out of the hospital. It was then Winston noticed that he was lugging around two proton packs, one for himself and the second for Egon.

"Sorry. I would've packed up the gear, but-"

"Don't worry about it." Peter put a hand on Winston's shoulder. "Ray used to be a pack mule in a previous life. Now, where's Egon?"

"Like I said, I don't know." Winston repeated. "They wheeled him in and I've been stuck here reading about the dangers of too much rock n' roll."

"No such thing." Peter refuted. "Now, where's the nurses station? I have a few questions."

Ray suddenly reappeared behind Peter and began pulling the proton pack from Peter's shoulders. "Need this. And just for future reference please don't leave our equipment sitting out in the parking lot. That stuff is expensive!"

"And heavy!" Peter retorted as Ray exited the hospital with the final pack in his hands. "Anyway back to the nurses-"

"Excuse me?" A tall, blonde, bespectacled male doctor in blue scrubs and white lab coat greeted the two men in the waiting room. "I'm Dr. Robinson. Are you two acquainted with Mr. Spengler?"

"Yes." Winston confirmed as he shook hands with the doctor. "I'm Winston Zeddermore, I'm the one who brought Egon in. This is Dr. Peter Venkman," he introduced Peter who also shook the doctor's hand. "And our other colleague is Dr. Ray Stantz. He'll be here soon. How's Egon?"

"Well aside from the grade 1 concussion he has suffered two broken ribs on the left lateral side of the rib cage and a clean break of the radius and ulna in his left arm. He also received two dozen stitches for the multiple lacerations to his forehead and appendages."

"Knew it." Winston somehow felt responsible for Egon's injuries despite only assessing said injuries, not causing them. "Can we see him?"

Ray had rejoined the group and heard the tail end of the conversation. "We can see Egon? When can he leave?" He noticed the doctor and offered his hand. "Hello, I'm Dr. Stantz."

"Hi." Dr. Robinson shook his hand. "Well, he is awake and is alert, but we'd like to keep him overnight for observation."

"Can we at least check in on him?" Ray asked sounding as pathetic as a whimpering puppy.

"It's past visiting hours but I think I can make an exception. Just be quick and try not to disturb the other patients."

" _Disturb_?" Peter nearly blurted. "How are _we_ disturbing?" He asked as he wrapped his slime covered arms around Ray and Winston's shoulders, which set a few clouds of dirt and smoke floating up into the air.

Dr. Robinson didn't respond, he instead turned to face down the corridor had walked through to get to the waiting room. "Follow me, please."

The three Ghostbusters trailed behind the doctor as he lead them to the room where Egon had been admitted for the night.

"Never did like hospitals." Winston mentioned in a hushed tone. "Always gave me the creeps."

Peter took notice. "Is that why you stopped being a paramedic?"

"Something like that."

"Fair enough." Peter knew Winston was holding something back. "Some things are meant to be private. But do answer me this one question."

"What's that?"

"Did you hook up with any nurses?"

Winston just shook his head while Ray stifled a small chuckle.

Dr. Robinson stopped outside of a closed door and slowly pushed it open. "In here."

"Thanks." Ray stepped inside first past the doctor with Peter and Winston in tow.

Egon was laying in the bed with his eyes closed but he wasn't asleep. His left eye was swollen from the cut beneath it and the subsequent stitching. With his left arm in a sling and an I.V. running into a vein in his right arm he seemed oddly content.

"Egon?" Ray called his friend's name quietly. "Egon, you awake?"

Peter was tired of waiting for answers. "Egon!" He stood beside the bed and bent down close to Egon's face. "Wake up!"

Egon opened his eyes slowly, unphased by Peter's tactlessness. "I'm already awake."

"Good!" Peter took a seat in the nearby chair and leaned back arrogantly, propping his feet up on the edge of the bed. "Well, you missed it. Ray and I captured that nasty class 6 'whatchamacallit', and we did it all by ourselves! No thanks to you or Winston!"

"Sorry Peter." Egon sounded like his usual monotoned self again. "I was a little busy in the cellar."

"Yeah, we know. Poor Winston had to go after you while Ray and I battled the ghost in the spooky, soon to be condemned mansion."

"I can assure you Peter, it was not my intention to fall through the floor or cause Winston to rappel through the floor."

"Too late." Peter always had to get in the last word.

"Glad to see you're okay." Winston was genuinely relieved to see Egon finally awake. "Don't scare us like that again."

"I'll do my best."

Ray was hanging his head down with guilt. "Egon, I'm sorry. It's my fault you fell through the floor. If I hadn't turn off the proton stream-"

"Ray," Egon cut him off. "it was the ghost who attacked us. Taking in consideration the dilapidation of the building I highly doubt that anything you could have done would have prevented the ghost from the destroying the floor."

"Yeah, I guess. But I-"

"Nope!" Peter jumped up and pushed Ray toward the door. "You heard the man, you're innocent! Now, let's find some nurses..."

Winston ran his hand over his dirty hair and sighed wearily. "Get some rest. We'll stop by first thing tomorrow morning."

Before Winston could reach the door Egon stopped him with one word. "Thanks."

"Uh, for what?" Winston asked sincerely as he stopped mid stride.

"For saving me." Egon attempted to sit up higher in the bed but his movements were very limited. "I know you were the one who went after me and I know you're the one who brought me here. Thank you."

"Hey, that's what friends do, right?" Winston tried to brush off his deed like it wasn't anything special. He didn't think saving a friend was so much a feat as it was just instinctive and a natural response. "I mean, I know you'd do the same for me or Ray, maybe even Peter."

"I'd like to think so, yes." Egon confirmed. "Perhaps I should brush up on emergency procedures and protocol myself. I believe we can add storage compartments in the rear of the car to transport medical supplies and equipment without sacrificing space."

"Yeah, you're going to be just fine. See you tomorrow, man." Winston pardoned himself discreetly. "I'm going to help Ray get Peter out of here before anyone slaps him with a restraining order."

"Can you bring me my spare pair of glasses? I seem to have broken my primary pair in the fall."

"Sure, no problem." Winston walked through the door and rejoined his two colleagues who were waiting outside. "Anything for a friend."

 _ **-The End**_

 **Author's Note:** For those of you who aren't familiar with Winston's full background he was an Army veteran, a former paramedic and was a construction worker. Though not included in the movie it's pretty evident that Winston is fully qualified to be a Ghostbuster thanks to his experiences in dangerous and unusual scenarios, and has knowledge of power tools. Too bad his backstory wasn't given a more in-depth look, his character is quite interesting!


End file.
